Gratitude ~ Laughter

Greetings Dear Reader,

Yesterday I shared my usual Friday breakfast with my boon companion and dear friend Jeff.  Our providential meeting occurred a few years ago when we were cube neighbors.  We became friends through conversation and shared consternation.  Amidst all of that, however, was also laughter.

The laughter at our meal yesterday was rich and prolonged.  We caught up on our progress in the journey.  We shared war stories concerning the less adept at navigating the path.  Mostly, though, we laughed at a world that so often has so much to teach us.

I say we laughed because neither of us takes things too seriously.  Perhaps that is not accurate.  We are both always serious but we are seldom somber.  We take humor seriously.  We savor the moments when both the tragedy and joy of life erupt in serious laughter.  The laughter is either to avoid tragic tears or because the world unfolds in ways that are joyous and humorous.

I wonder how often we really get what Job or the writer of Psalms mean when they speak of God filling us with laughter.  That joy is the laughter for which I am thankful.  I see it in the opportunity to help others.  I find it in the time shared with my Children and Grand Children.  I relish it when I get the women at the bakery to break into song with me over Sweet Caroline or YMCA. 

There is a way to make the lives of others better through laughter.  I do not mean stand up comedy, although I value that too.  I am talking about those moments when the heart sheds its burdens for a space over an incident of shared joy.  I am so grateful that when we have sorrow we also have laughter to remember and to anticipate.

I hear God in that laughter and it is so very real.  It is healing and encouraging.  I wish you so much of it that your sides ache.  How about you Dear Reader; do you have tales of real laughter to share?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

Gratitude ~ Brats (Bratwurst not Misbehaving Children)

Greetings Dear Reader,

If you read this and pronounce “brat” wrong you will think I am a cannibal.  The last time I wrote about this someone did that.  Do not do that.

I realize that it may seem odd to refer to a food item as a thing to include in a month of expressions of gratitude.  Then again if you have read the chapter in Sheetrock on the Road about Georgia Peaches you will know that there are some foods about which I am quite passionate.

Brats are one of them.  More important to me is the World’s Largest Brat Festival.  This is a charity event held over Memorial Day weekend each year.  It begins early on Friday with Take Your Brat to Work Day.  About 24,000 brats will be purchased and taken to work to remind people about the festival.  Then they open the local Colosseum grounds for four days of brats, live music on four stages, carnival rides, and all-around fun. 

What is beautiful about the event is that it almost all of the money raised goes to support local charities.  It is a charity event that has grown from a man with a grill and a vision to one that has hundreds of volunteers supporting dozens of charitable organizations. 

I am grateful for the fun and the benefit to the community.  I am grateful for the organizations that donate their time and resources. It is good to be reminded how many groups there are in my community that serve the needs of others.  Oh, and the brats; I am very grateful for the enjoyment of a warm grilled brat with mustard, onions, sauerkraut, and relish.  What do you like on your brat Dear Reader?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gratitude ~ Companionship

Greetings Dear Reader,

I wrote earlier in this series about friends.  I value friends greatly.  What I value more are true companions.  The distinction for me is very different.  Companions are rare and precious.

Companions are those who get you and stand with you no matter what.  Whether they share your values or not they respect them.  They know what matters to you.  They listen and speak with common understanding.  You give and take counsel together.

Then there are the even deeper ones who fight the good fight with you.  They are the ones who share your vision and values.  They are the ones who walk with you in the journey and you care for each other as fellow travelers. 

True companions are rare and few.  When I find one in my life I cherish it.  I am filled with gratitude for it.  In times of great pain and sorrow these are the ones who support and care for you.  These are the ones who are there when you are on top and on the bottom.

Some days the journey seems long and lonely.  It is my companions who see this and are there to keep me going.  Some days amazing things unfold and it is those same companions who celebrate with me whether they benefit from the unfolding or not. 

I strive to be that for others because it is what we all need.  Lately we here it called our tribe or our peeps.  I feel that we need to keep the deep understanding of this vital sub-set of our friends.  We need to always feel grateful for them.  We need to realize that the journey becomes much more difficult without them.

I am grateful for my companions.  I strive to be one for others who need it.  And as always I am grateful for your companionship Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gratitude ~ Differences

Greetings Dear Reader,

The idea of uniqueness seems to be fading in the world.  We rush to be the same in so many ways.  We clamor to fit in to what is popular or acceptable.  We are looking for acceptance by fitting in when inside we yearn to be accepted for our individuality.

I love that everyone is unique.  We may gather around our sameness but it is our diversity from all other humans that defines us.  It is that thing that makes us vital to the universe.  It is what I am grateful for in every human.

Since I believe that every person was uniquely designed by God it means that every life has significance to all life.  Every voice belongs in the chorus of the universe, the one-song.  Everyone has something to contribute and losing that contribution diminishes us all to some measure.

I realize that the analogy may seem trite but the story of Horton Hears a Who is important here.  It is not until everyone lends his or her voice to the noise that they can be heard.  The song of the universe cannot be right if we silence the differences in our fellow humans.

This does not mean that I think that all things said and done are acceptable or good.  It does mean that every life matters to me.  I am grateful for the things I learn from those who are different from me.  I celebrate that diversity in the universe.  I have great gratitude for you Dear Reader.  What differences do you love in the world?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from 

Gratitude ~ Love

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am not going to talk about romantic love.  I am no longer sure I get that.  I know that it is not the primary meaning of love and needs to take a back seat to the more intentional kinds of love.  I will return to that thought in a moment.

I am grateful for the much rarer and more coveted love that transacts between two humans when both put aside their own wants.  It is the love that transcends race, social status, and nationality.  It crushes barriers and tears down isolation. 

Genuine love souses the fires of anger.  It can quell the need for vengeance.  It can show the way to hope and faith.  It is, I believe the most powerful force in the universe.  We, however, fail to harness it. 

At times I get to show that love and I am grateful for it.  It is not always easy.  It is always right.  It almost always costs me something but it is worth it.  I am grateful for the hard deck that it provides.  If I measure all things by this thing then events will unfold as they should.

It is in this stance that we can consider the aforementioned romantic love a possibility.  Romantic love cannot be sustained without a foundation of human love.  It takes too much energy and ends up being one-way eventually.  Marriages die because the human love is not put first.  It is not the hard deck.

Beyond all of this is the idea of loving and accepting the love of God.  He loves us, full stop.  You do not have to believe it or believe in God.  He loves you anyway.  He loves us at our very worst and gives us every opportunity to be better.  It is the power to find peace in our pain if we allow it. 

I am grateful for the kind of love that demands that we love every single human no matter our opinion of their faith or practice.  It does, however, have to be a verb to work.  I am grateful that love requires action to be evident. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Second Thoughts ~ Centipedes

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you, Dear Reader.

For the unfamiliar there is a creature called the American House Centipede.  Back when I hated them I called them “demon bugs”.  Since learning that they are very beneficial I call them “alien bugs”.  They are still one of those creatures that evoke a visceral response for me.

They look very similar to one of the creatures that has haunted my dreamscape since I was a child.  The ones in my dreams, however, have always been monstrously sized.  My aversion to them is one of those responses that makes the blood cold and the heart race. 

I have learned to respect them but I still fear them.  I just do not let the fear be in charge.  I have not seen one in over two years until today.  I was preparing lunch in my small kitchen.  On the counter, by the toaster-oven there he sat. 

He was not moving.  That is no big deal.  I have seen them be very still, then seem to disappear only to reappear a meter from where I spotted them. They are stealthy and fast.  I grabbed a cup and approached determined to relocate him were he alive. 

As I got close enough to capture him I was shocked.  It was not a centipede at all.  There on the counter by the toaster-oven lay one of my Daughter’s fake eyelashes.  I will not pretend to know how it got there.  I took a picture and left it for her to find when she visits. 

I try to embrace the unique beauty of all creation.  Some things still frighten me.  It is refusing the let the fear be in charge that is my obligation.  I do think, however, that it is not a good idea to have free-range eyelashes roaming the kitchen.   

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gratitude ~ Work

Greetings Dear Reader,

So often I hear people complain about work.  I did not plan for this to be written on a Monday but here we are.  Even so, my news feed is filled with people posting about how much they hate, avoid, and eschew Monday. 

I realize that many people hate the jobs they work.  Having been out of a job for a year now I am grateful for work when I have it.  I would have it be true that everyone did the job he or she loved.  I think we should all pursue that.

I pursue writing being my sole source of income.  I work at it every day.  Since I am not there yet I have to do other things to sustain my earnings.  I am grateful for the other skills that I possess that allow me to work. 

With so many people in desperate need of income it is wrong for me to not be grateful for work.  It is wrong for me to not be willing to work.  Even when I had a steady job I did not complain about the job I had.  I understand the process of provision and to be grateful for what I have.

I hope that you have work that you love Dear Reader.  If you do not, I hope that you are chasing what you desire; working to get there.  Even when we are working to build our dreams we can be grateful for each step that takes us there.  They may not all be pleasant but they are stepping stones and hard work does provide reward.  What dream are you working toward Dear Reader?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gratitude ~ Real Life Conversation

Greetings Dear Reader,

How often do we see or participate in this exchange?

“Hi, how are you?”

“Great!  How are you?”

“Oh, I’m good too.”

This is just one of many variations of our social contract of interaction.  So often this passes without either person listening.  I have stolen Dave Ramsey’s response to the how are you question.  I respond with “better than I deserve.”  It is true.

We use so many empty words.  At times, however, we get to have real-life conversations.  When we do something changes.  Something is moved.  Perhaps something is mended.  At times things get broken.

There are so many reasons for avoiding real conversation.  It makes us vulnerable to our faults and blind spots.  It forces us to face fears and failures.  It takes time.  To really talk to people requires that we invest time in it.  Given the risks it is little surprise that we do not do it more often. 

Sill, when it happens we need to have gratitude for it.  When someone opens up about real things we need to show them love and compassion.  We need to be there to hear and empathize.  We need to be grateful for the trust offered.

We also need to be real conversationalists.  We can be real about how we feel without whining or complaining.  One say what is going on without vitriol or drama.  Imagine the gratitude we could feel if we mastered being honest without drama.  I am grateful for real conversation.  How about you Dear Reader? 

Tin Man ~ America

Sometimes late when things are real

And people share the gift of gab between themselves

Some are quick to take the bait

And catch the perfect prize that waits among the shelves

But Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man

That he didn't, didn't already have

And Cause never was the reason for the evening

Or the tropic of Sir Galahad

So please believe in me

When I say I'm spinning round, round, round, round

Smoke glass stain bright color

Image going down, down, down, down

Soapsuds green like bubbles

Oh, Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man

That he didn't, didn't already have

And Cause never was the reason for the evening

Or the tropic of Sir Galahad

So please believe in me

When I say I'm spinning round, round, round, round

Smoke glass stain bright color

Image going down, down, down, down

Soapsuds green like bubbles

No, Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man

That he didn't, didn't already have

And Cause never was the reason for the evening

Or the tropic of Sir Galahad

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gratitude ~ Writing

Greetings Dear Reader,

I do believe that had I not found writing I would have at the least gone mad.  I write because it is compelling for me.  It is a discipline to write in the morning after first taking in a little wisdom.  I write because it helps me sort things out before I interact with real humans.

There are also stories I need to tell, adventures that need chronicling, and people I need to kill.  I get to work that all out without harming anyone.  I can tell the tale, accuse the guilty, and destroy the evil without violating my obligations to be loving and kind. I get to weave mystery and intrigue in the lives of my characters without concern for what others think. 

Then there is the great adventure.  There is the message I weave into every tale that is one of hope and life.  Long after I am gone one can trace the path of that message through my books and this blog.  One can also find my final message.  I hope to live much longer but I have woven a message into my books that requires a bit of cryptography to unravel. 

Each of my novels contains a message that leads to a larger one.  I promise it is not a reminder to drink your Ovaltine.  There are clues that one can find.  I am grateful that writing reminds me of the greater mystery. It is the one that requires and recieves my faith.  Happy reading and hunting Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Gratitude ~ Jethro Tull

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am grateful for music in general.  It helps me feel things that I avoid feeling.  It is solace in times of woe.  It can punctuate my celebrations with exclamation beyond my skills.

Since I was nine a man and a band have been my favorite.  It helps that the man is the leader of the band.  I speak of the band Jethro Tull and the man Ian Anderson.  His music danced into my life just as my Grandfather heeded the call of the piper to that undiscovered country.  The music I first encountered was from the album Aqualung.  It is a fine place to start if you are seeking to acquaint yourself with this very fine music.

One of the things for which I am grateful is the depth of this music.  Fifty years later I still find new thoughts and new questions as I listen to the various albums.  When I was nine I was already reacting to the pains in my life by asking hard questions.  With my Grandfather gone no one seemed inclined to listen or give me real answers.  Songs like Hymn 43 and Wind Up posed and answered some of them.

The later albums tilled the soil of my mind for the vital encounter that would come five years down the road.  The music of Tull also required me to keep thinking instead of choosing and closing my mind.  As the years slipped through the glass the band and the man continue to challenge me to think.  The music remains complex and the lyrics require one to pay attention.  One does not passively listen to Tull.

The band is still together.  They will be in my state this summer.  I do not think a day passes where a Tull song does not dance through my thoughts.  I am most grateful for the lessons they teach me about God.  He is not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.  What music reaches you Dear Reader?

Wind Up  – Ian Anderson

When I was young and they packed me off to school

And taught me how not to play the game,

I didn't mind if they groomed me for success,

Or if they said that I was just a fool.

So I left there in the morning

With their God tucked underneath my arm

Their half-assed smiles and the book of rules.

So I asked this God a question

And by way of firm reply,

He said -- I'm not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.

So to my old headmaster (and to anyone who cares):

Before I'm through I'd like to say my prayers --

I don't believe you:

You had the whole damn thing all wrong

He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.

Well you can excommunicate me on my way to Sunday school

And have all the bishops harmonize these lines

How do you dare tell me that I'm my father's son,

When that was just an accident of birth.

I'd rather look around me -- compose a better song

'Cause that's the honest measure of my worth.

In your pomp and all your glory you're a poorer man than me,

As you lick the boots of death born out of fear.

When I was young and they packed me off to school

And taught me how not to play the game,

I didn't mind if they groomed me for success,

Or if they said that I was just a fool.

So I left there in the morning

With their God under my arm

Their half-assed smiles and the book of rules.

Well you can excommunicate me on my way to Sunday school

And have all the bishops harmonize these lines --

When I was young and they packed me off to school

And taught me how not to play the game,

I didn't mind if they groomed me for success,

Or if they said that I was just a fool.

So to my old headmaster (and to anyone who cares):

Before I'm through I'd like to say my prayers –

Well you can excommunicate me on my way to Sunday school

And have all the bishops harmonize these lines --

I don't believe you:

You had the whole damn thing all wrong --

He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)